St Richard's CofE First School

Overview

St Richard’s C of E First School continues to be a good school, where pupils enjoy their learning and behave well. Leaders maintain high expectations, ensuring that disruption is rare and that staff effectively support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths

• Pupils quickly learn to read widely and fluently, supported by a structured phonics programme and books well matched to their knowledge.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and skilfully adapt work, ensuring pupils with SEND learn the same topics as their peers.
• Staff provide effective support for pupils at risk of falling behind, using regular checks and ‘start of the day’ activities to fill gaps in learning.
• Pupils show respect towards one another and adults, collaborating well and knowing that staff deal with bullying straight away.
• Leaders ensure pupils learn about other cultures, fostering respect through initiatives such as a link with a school in Malawi.

Areas to improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not specified precisely enough the key knowledge that all pupils need, meaning some pupils do not learn and remember everything they should.
• Subject leaders must set out clearly what pupils should learn and provide guidance on the most effective activities to help pupils retain this knowledge.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff well trained, vigilant in identifying risks, and leaders taking swift steps to involve other agencies when concerns are raised.